taxi4ballet Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Please does anyone know of any makes/styles of pointe shoes with a short vamp - and I mean really short - that are readily available in the UK for someone with little toes? Not Grishko though - we know about those, and Gaynor Minden's shortest vamp isn't short enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Bloch suprima? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBallerina Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I find the Bloch Serenades good. I've got really short toes and a low wrist. It may not look short, but the top part of it softens as soon as you start to wear them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 She's tried both those Bloch styles (and did wear Serenades for quite a while but decided they're no longer right for her, box too deep & square, hard shanks too hard, and normal shanks die in one class). She's also had Freed Classic Pros, Grishko 2007 & Nova, and Russians. The Russians are best but are special order. Is there anything else out there she can try with stockists in London? It would be so lovely if she could just walk into a shop and grab a pair every time she needs them... (Sorry, I know I'm asking for the moon here!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 If you have a chat to Beth at Freed, the shop will often customise pointe shoes for you. Dd once had the vamp lowered on a pair and the shoes just go back to the factory to be altered. Once the vamp is low enough you should be able to do a special order and collect multiple pairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Thanks Anna, yes she's already been in there but for some reason she can't get on with Freed shoes. It's a mystery to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdance Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I know this might not be very helpful but Gamba shoes used to have a very low vamp, I wore them because they were the only shoe I could get over the box in due to strong but not very bendy feet! Have you tried Capezios? I had a pair that were really good on me for the same reasons as I gave above but they don't necessarily look any lower in the vamp. I've also had Gaynors which were pretty good but made my legs work harder!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Thanks drdance, I'm not sure Gambas are very easy to get hold of though. She looked at Capezios but none of their styles suit unfortunately. I'll PM you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legseleven Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I understand that Russian Pointe Almaz or Sapfir, both V1 (the shortest vamp they have apparently) might work - Bloch Jetstream or possibly Balance European and Grishko Elite were also suggested. Perhaps Just Ballet could advise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 The staff at Just Ballet know us well - they recognise my voice when I ring up!!! It's all to do with which pointe shoes they are allowed (and are not allowed) to have at her vocational school. The fact that her current shoes are a perfect fit for her somewhat unusual feet doesn't seem to come into it. Grrr. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I feel for you taxi Dd has very awkward feet but has found what she feels is the perfect shoe for her (Merlet). Unfortunately her main teacher this year said she didn't want her to wear them & came up with some ridiculous suggestions. However dd continues to wear them & I refuse to buy Daft alternatives. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 Pictures, I've sent you a PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I've noticed on the Move dance wear site they have a range of Merlet pointe shoes. I don't know if any have a short vamp or even where you can go to try them. DD a big fan of Merlet Diva and so am I as they last a few weeks. When dd had problems with her shoes she emailed the company and they were very helpful so might be worth asking their advice regarding vamp. We did have a special order of Grishko with a slightly longer vamp, 5mm I think. I'm sure it cost about £10/15 extra and dd didn't like them when she tried them on! So another pair added to the collection in her wardrobe, unworn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 (edited) Yes, DD has a collection of mistake pairs too! I think she's going to try and find Merlet this weekend, Dancia in Drury Lane stock them apparently. Edited to add: I think I know what I'm going to be doing over half-term... sitting for hours in dancewear shops Edited January 29, 2016 by taxi4ballet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Just ballet stock Merlet I think too. And Dancique in Birmingham. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulabelle Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Yes, DD has a collection of mistake pairs too! We do too, I feel your pain! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon2 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 We've had Merlet Diva from the three shops mentioned. I'll ask next time I'm getting more shoes but out of interest does anyone know if any of them stock any of the other Merlet styles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila Beelam Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Hi everyone, Sorry I've not been around for a while - but thought I'd chip in. It is very frustrating when schools limit students to a particular brand. I'm not speaking from a business point of view, but as a fitter. One shoe certainly does not fit all. Even with a wide choice of styles within certain brands, there is not always a shoe suitable for the dancer. We are not talking about normal shoes, these are a dancer's main tool, second to their body. They have to work for that particular foot. As the dancer grows older and changes, her shoe requirements will change too. No dancer will have the same style of shoe from their first pair of pointe shoes to the end of their career. The process of finding the perfect shoe for the dancer's requirements at any given time, are not taken lightly by the serious dancer, parents or fitter. To reach the ideal shoe and then be told they are the wrong brand is crazy. Rant over Sx PS we stock Merlet Adagio as well as DIva, but the vamp will be too long for taxi4ballet's DD. But I'm on the case, to see what I can sort out! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird22 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Amen to that ^^^^ Our local dance shop fit almost every single dancer with Grishko pro flex and occasionally if you're deemed to have strong feet Bloch TMTs. There's no logic to what they tell people, one girl was told her flat feet needed a Grishko 2007 hard shank, another was given extra toe pads to make the shoe fit. They actually tell people that the pro flex is a beginners shoe arghhhhhh. I take my students 45minutes up the motorway where there is an abundance of brands, styles and fitters who know what they are doing, however lots of parents and other colleagues students opt to use the local dance shop! I could rant for days about pointe shoes, I would never dream of suggesting a one shoe fits all I would imagine all shoes can find a perfect foot. That said the ridiculous shoes pictures DD was told to try will not be making an appearance in my classes anytime soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Hmm - I wonder which local shop that could be. There is one I wouldn't let near dd in a month of Sunday's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird22 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I can't really say any of the local shops are particularly great, but the one in question makes me shudder! I don't blame you for keeping them far far far away from your DD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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